An Unforgettable Summer

Chapter 1: The Unknown Awaits Us

It's summer and the weather is nice in the kingdom of CiAr, a peaceful medieval town, but a little more modernized. Many magical creatures inhabit this place and they can use magic to teleport to other countries far from CiAr, although some prefer to travel in airships. To travel via town they use horse-drawn carriages or they just walk. Some of them also like ship traveling, mostly to go visit some coastal cities. The houses are welcoming, some big, others small, very medieval in style, but modernized with water and electricity systems that facilitate certain activities and make life in CiAr easier.
Yes. CiAr is home to many magical creatures, but the most interesting are flyons, winged lions. However, there is only one family of flyons in CiAr. It's the royal family who live in the castle in the highest place of the kingdom.
Askaru is the king, a gray-furred flyon with a beautiful black mane, gray-green eyes and large, majestic wings, married to the beautiful lioness Tayarinne with yellow fur and orange-brown eyes. They have three beautiful daughters, all flyonesses.
Lilikiki is a beautiful teenager with white fur and green eyes. She's the oldest and, despite being adopted, Askaru and Tayarinne have always treated her as if she was their own daughter and Lili has always treated her parents and younger sisters as her real family.
Maine and Tayarinne II are the youngest. Beautiful Maine has her father's fur and her mother's eyes. Tayarinne II has her mother's fur and her father's eyes.
It's night in CiAr and the king and queen are snuggled in their room talking about their plan for the next few days.
“The kids will love the trip.” Says Askaru in his powerful but sweet voice.
“It's going to be a great family summer.” Tayarinne afirms in her sweet, soft voice. “And they can learn a lot from the outside world.”
"It's all peaceful in the kingdom, so it shouldn't be a problem if we're away for a while."
Tayarinne snuggles closer to her mate, purring sweetly. “It'll be so nice to be able to rest and leave all our responsibilities behind for a while.”
“You're right, my love.” Askaru licks her cheek, also purring.
"I love you, my king."
“I love you too, my queen.”
The next morning, the royal family gathers in the castle's highest tower, where they look out over the beautiful kingdom of CiAr.
"I'm going to miss this." Lilikiki smiles as she observes the wonderful kingdom below.
“It will be fun.” Maine says excitedly, playing a little with her sister Tayarinne II.
“You're going to discover new worlds and learn more about the world outside.” Askaru says.
“But more importantly, it's going to be a great family trip.” Tayarinne nuzzles her daughters, who nuzzle her back, all purring. “Something is missing here.” The queen looks at the king with a little smirk.
Askaru realizes what his mate means and smiles, joining his family in the nuzzling.
For a while, the five just share affection, nuzzling and purring, the flyons' wings hugging the whole family.
It is King Askaru who first steps away to talk. “Very well. Are you all ready to go?”
"Yeah!" The youngest daughters respond happily.
“Are you going to open a portal, dad?” Lili jokes, knowing that her father doesn’t have that power.
Her mother giggles lightly while her father looks a bit embarrassed.
"Girls. Do you remember everything your father and I taught you about flying?” Their mother asks and her daughters nod in agreement.
“It is time for you to show us what you can do.” Says their father. "This is the moment. Let's travel and fly together to other kingdoms.”
Maine and Tayarinne II look at each other, a little suspicious. Lilikiki notices that and hugs her sisters with her wings. “Come on, girls. It'll be fun. We'll be able to see the whole kingdom from up there. Better than watching it from here in the castle, right?”
Now Maine and Taya II smile, feeling more comfortable with their older sister's support. “We are ready.” They say.
"That's the spirit, girls." Their mother smiles at her daughters.
“My queen." Askaru looks at her with a special look, so she knows what to do.
"Right, my king." She understands what he wants.
The lioness moves her tail in the air over herself and a shiny yellow light comes from the tuff. Askaru observes with a smile and their daughters are curious about what their mother is doing. Tayarinne points her tail at her own body and a bright light appears all over her. It doesn’t take long until Tayarinne turns into a very beautiful flyoness with majestic wings.
“Wow...” Her daughters are surprised. Their mother looks even prettier as a flyoness. Also... How could she do that? She must be really good with magic.
“You look incredible, my queen.” Askaru kisses her cheek.
“Thank you, my king.” She blushes a bit.
“Now we can all fly.” Tayarinne II looks excited.
“Hehe. It’s not that simple, Taya.” Her mother explains. “I’m not that good at flying. I need your father’s help.”
“Your mother’s right, girls.” Askaru explains. “She’s a lioness and she only turns into a flyoness sometimes if necessary. So she doesn’t have much practice.”
“It’ll be fine.” Says the queen.
“Ok, ok. Can we go now?” It seems like Lilikiki is in a hurry. In fact, she’s been acting impatiently and a bit grumpy sometimes in the last few days.
“Of course, Lili.”
The family gets in position with the flyons side by side.
"At three." Askaru leads. "One." They all bow their bodies. "Two." Now they spread their wings. "Three!"
The flyons run fast and take flight, leaving the tower of the castle to begin flying over the beautiful kingdom of CiAr.
"Wow..." Maine and Tayarinne II are amazed at what they see. CiAr looks even more beautiful from the sky.
"Told ya." Lili had flown under CiAr before. Being older than her sisters, her training is more advanced.
“Are you okay, my love?” Askaru asks his mate.
“Well... I’ve been better.” Tayarinne answers with a smile, even though she’s getting tired, trying her best to fly without help.
Askaru smiles lovely, knowing that soon he’ll have to help her.
It doesn't take long for the royal family to approach CiAr's border. It's the first time that Askaru and Tayarinne's daughters are leaving the kingdom. All of them have some fear, but at the same time, they are curious to know what they will find outside the kingdom.
“Get ready, girls. The unknown awaits you.” Tayarinne says enthusiastically, giving her daughters some comfort.
"Here we go." Askaru says.
The family flies together, crossing the border of their kingdom. For a while, none of them will see CiAr again. But what awaits them outside is much more than a journey of knowledge. It's an adventure.